Jump on Board

Even before the launch of Harvard's Initiative on Global Health in October of 2008, Harvard has put forth various efforts to end the threat of global warming on society. These efforts include renovations on many different office and dorm buildings with solar panel roofing to save energy. Harvard also installed low-flow water systems in 3,000 graduate dorms and achieved a recycling rate of more than 50 percent on both our Cambridge and Allston campuses.

Beyond our previous initiatives and efforts, Harvard has set new, more ambitious goals to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Harvard announced that the office for sustainability will strive to reduce Harvard campus GHG emissions by 30 percent in the next 8 years (by 2016). While it is obvious that the Harvard Community is excited and ambitious about reaching these new goals, other parts of the country and even the greater Boston area have yet to notice what Harvard has done.

It is not only Harvard's efforts and the efforts of other schools that tend to go unnoticed, but also the opportunities that others have to prevent global warming and contribute to a healthier environment. College students throughout history have always played a large role in initiatives and change in the world and environment. It is time for the college students of today to step up and take control of this environmental crisis.

Not sure what you can do to help? We at Harvard have set a high bar but we also display ideas and examples that anybody can follow. Here are 10 easy ways to help:

• Drive less. If it is possible use public transportation or WALK.
• Turn OFF computers when you are done using them.
• Unplug chargers. This is something many people don't think to do but unplugging chargers and appliances such as microwaves, toasters and coffee pots helps a great deal.
• Turn out the lights. This is obvious - when you leave a room, simply flick the switch.
  
• Take shorter showers. No it is not necessary to stand in the hot running water for 15 minutes after you're clean.
• Adjust the thermostat. 65 degrees is a perfectly warm living temperature during the winter - not 75 or 80.
• Eat less meat. Yes, that's right. One would be surprised to learn how much energy it takes to produce one hamburger.
• Wash clothes in cold water; they will still be clean when they are done.
• Ditch the plastic. Buy glass storage containers instead of Tupperware and metal water bottles instead of plastic ones.
• Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Reduce the amount of throwaway materials and food waste. Reuse sandwich or storage bags that didn't have raw meat in them. Recycle materials you would usually throw away.
  

Of course it is not easy for everybody to reduce carbon emissions as drastically has Harvard hopes to, but the above precautions will help the environment. Everybody is sick of hearing these four words, but they are true: every little bit helps.